Arm-rest and table for telephones



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

FLORA HOFMEISTER, OF RACINE, I/VISCONSIN.

ARlVl-REST AND TABLE FOR TELEPHONES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,488, dated February 11, 1896.

Application filed August 9, 1895.

T0 @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that 1, FLORA HoEMEIsTER, of Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Arm-Rests and Tables for Telephones, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus or device to be attached to the box of atelephonetransmitter or other adjacent support, and is adapted to be used by the person who is at the telephone as a rest for the arm that holds the telephone-receiver, and to support and automatically distend and fold up a table for a tablet or writing-pad; and the object of the invention is to accomplish these purposes in and by novel, simple, convenient, easily-operated, reliable, strong, and enduring` apparatus.

The invention consists of the apparatus and its parts and combination of parts as hereinafter described and claimed, or their equivalents.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved apparatus in connection with a fragment of the box for a telephone-transmitter, parts being broken away for convenience of illustration. Fig. 2 is atop plan View of my improved apparatus.

In the drawings, A is the fragment, in outline, of a box such as is in common use with telephone transmitters and receivers for inclosing the transmitter and a battery in connection therewith. I have shown my improved apparatus in connection with this box, as the frame of the apparatus, in this instance, is constructed with reference to being readily attached to such a box, but in case such a box is dispensed with in connection with the telephone-transmitter the apparatus can be attached to some similar support adjacent to the transmitter.

A rigid frame 5l has a face 6, advisably cushioned with rubber or felt, adapted to bear against and hold to the abutting support, (in this instance box A,) and there is a bearingplate 7, also faced with rubber or felt, which is adapted to bear against and hold to the support opposite the face 6. The bearing- Serial No. 558,725. (No model.)

plate 7 is mounted loosely on the extremity of a clam pin g-screw 8, that turns by its thread through a member or part of the frame 5. The plate 7 is located opposite the face 6 at such distance therefrom as to receive the box A between the two bearing-faces 6 and 7, the apparatus being supported by clamping the box or support between these bearingfaces, the engagement of the faces with the box being accomplished by turning the clamping-screw 8 in the frame.

A table 9 is fixed on an arm 10, which arm is hinged on the frame 5, so as to be capable of being distended into the substantially horizontal position shown in Fig. 1, or to be folded up substantially vertically against the side of the frame. This table is preferably located at the right of the frame. A rod 11 connects the free extremity of a radial arm12, iixed to and extending from the axis of the arm 10, and at an angle thereto, to one arm of the bell-crank lever 13, pivoted at its angle to the frame 5.

A plate 14, advisably of concave form laterally and adapted to receive and support the arm of the user thereon,is fixed on a verticallydisposed rod or shank 15, which shank passes movably through an arm or member of the frame A5, and also through a ring 16, trunnioned in one arm of the bell-crank lever 13, and is secured,adjustable vertically, (with reference to desired position for supporting the arm of the user, and also with reference to the desired position of the table 9,) in the ring 16 by a setscrew 17 turning through the ring against the,

shank 15. In use the shank 15 is so adjusted and secured in the ring 16 that when the table 9 is in the horizontal position shown in Fig. 1 the plate or rest 14. shall be at the desired height for receiving'and supporting thereon the arm of the user, this height being such that the arm of the user resting on the plate will be at the proper height to hold the receiver of the telephone at the ear of the user. A contractile spring 18, connected to the frame 5 and to the ring 16, is adapted to elevate the rod 15 and fold up the table 9 when the arm of the user is not on the plate 14, and the clip 19, pivoted on the lever 13, is released from engagement with the frame 5.

It willbe understood that normally the table IOO 9 is folded up against the side of the frame and near to the boX-A; that when so folded up the rod 15, with the plate 14, is elevated with reference to the frame somewhat above the position shown in Fig. 1, and that when the user places his or her arln on the platerest 14 and bears down on it the rod 15 will be depressed against the resistance of the spring 18, and the table 9 will be thrown outwardly or distended into the position shown in Fig. 1, and that the clip 19 will then drop into the notch provided therefor in the frame 5, thus engaging the frame and holding the table and the rest in position until again released froin engagement with the frame.

In the drawings I have shown the table 9 as provided with a eelluloid tablet 20, which being in the form of a single sheet is capable of being inserted in and withdrawn from the side and top guides 21 on the table 9. A springclip 22 is also provided, which is adapted to receive thereunder and hold a paper pad. A clip or loop 23 at the side of the table is adapted to receive and hold a pencil detachably therein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An arnrrest and table fortelephones comprising a frame, a folding table, an arm-rest movable in the frame a bell-crank and a rod connecting the bell-crank to an arm attached ing table mounted on the frame, and an arm- I rest also mounted movably on the frame and connected operatively with the table, substantially as described.

8. The combination of a frame, a table hinged on the frame and provided with a radially-projecting arm at an angle t0 the table, a bell-crank pivoted on the frame, a rod connecting the bell-crank to the arm of the table, and an arm-rest provided with a shank movable in the frame and connected operativelbT with the bell-crank lever, adapted by means of the depression of the arm-rest to distend the table, substantially as described.

The combination of a frame, an ar1nrest provided with a shank movable in the frame, a spring for lifting the arm-rest, a folding table hinged on the frame, and means connecting the table with the shank of the arm -rest, whereby by the depression of the arm-rest the table is distended, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FLORA llOlilliELflER.

Witnesses:

Guo. Il. MooRE, GnRvAsn S. XVRiGi-rr. 

